You might want to contact [log in to unmask] (Pat Holmgren, Director of the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium), or [log in to unmask] (John Reed, the Director of the NYBG Library) for information on the compactors we've used. I can tell you that we use crank type, and that electrical poses some safety concerns. The crank type work very well, and are easy to use for all, as far as we've heard. We're in the process of specifying shelving units for a new building, so these folks are very up on the latest and greatest. Also a man named Richard Parsons (?? If you need his contact info, I can dig it up.) in New York City is the local authority on collections storage. He is an architect who has worked with many of the museums in the City in developing new storage facilities. One issue we've had to deal with in the tremendously increased floor load of compacted collections. Be aware that they require much higher load capacity that static shelving... Eric Siegel [log in to unmask]